


Why Are You So Bitter?

by Magnonette



Series: Whumptober 2020 [22]
Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: Poison, Poisoning, Strangers, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:55:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27152114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnonette/pseuds/Magnonette
Summary: The Moomins are known to be welcoming towards everybody. This time it was another stranger that had come to the Valley. He was really helpful with them, always helping around the house. But, when Snufkin came by the house, everything took a stranger turn.
Relationships: Mumintrollet | Moomintroll & Snusmumriken | Snufkin, Snorkfröken | The Snork Maiden & Snusmumriken | Snufkin
Series: Whumptober 2020 [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948144
Kudos: 27





	Why Are You So Bitter?

**Author's Note:**

> Do These Tacos Taste Funny To You - Poisoned - Drugged

It was current in the Valley that people would come and go from the outside. Sometimes they were travelers, like Snufkin, and would only stay for the night before going back on their way. Sometimes, they were artists that would stay for a little while in the Valley, either to draw or paint the beautiful landscapes, or musician that would stay to share their music for a few days. But, it also happened that strangers came in the Valley and decided to stay for unknown reasons.

Most of the time, they were hosted by the Moomins, always ready to help anyone who would knock on their door. It wasn’t a problem for anyone, as the Moomins were known to be very welcoming people, but it sometimes bothered others.

Snufkin particularly, didn’t much appreciate how welcoming they were towards random strangers. He knew more than anybody else how dangerous it could be to trust strangers, as his kind of life had taught him. He didn’t like that sometimes, too many times for his liking, they seemed to get very interested in him and would always be staring at him every time he came by the house. He tended to avoid going there when he knew they were there, but it was very inconvenient for him, as he liked to go say hi to the family and to go ask if Moomin was around.

It was one of those that came into the Valley this time. They didn’t know much about them, just that they liked to help around the house a lot. They had been staying for a few days already and Snufkin had noticed almost immediately the look they gave him. It was the kind of look he would often receive from people that got interested in him and wanted to court him and it was making him very uncomfortable.

They had tried a few time to come talk to him as he stayed near his tent, either fishing on the bridge or just chilling on the riverside. They hadn’t been direct to him about wanting to court him, but the way they looked at him, the way they talked to him, it was pretty obvious to him.

Of course, Snufkin had made sure to show them that he wasn’t interested in them at all, but they still seemed to want to try. He didn’t like how insistent they were. Snufkin still tried to come by MoominHouse often to see the family, as he liked to spend time with MoominMamma before everyone woke up, or help MoominPappa with his memoirs from time to time, and most of the time to ask if Moomin and Snorkmaiden, who’d come to stay for a while as her brother was working hard on his invention, wanted to spend time with him.

It had been a while since he last saw Moomin and Snorkmaiden come out of the house now, and he was starting to worry about them. It wasn’t unusual for them to stay inside, as it had been raining a lot the last few days, but still, they usually at least peeked at the window to see if he wanted to come at the house to shelter from the rain.

Snufkin had decided that he would go to the house and ask if they wanted to come out for a walk, while it was still sunny outside. He made his way up to the house, looking nervously at the window by which the stranger always looked out to observe him. It was early enough in the morning that he could be sure that he wouldn’t be there, but he still wanted to make sure.

Snufkin walked in, not knocking so as to not warn them of his presence, and walked to the kitchen to greet MoominMamma.

“Oh, Snufkin. Good Morning dear.” She greeted happily. “How are you doing today?”

“I’m fine, thanks Mamma.” Snufkin blushed a little, still a little nervous about calling her Mamma as she had told him multiple time to do. “Are Moomin and Snorkmaiden awake yet?” He asked nervously.

“I’m afraid they’re sick. They won’t be able to go out today.” MoominMamma announced gently.

“They’re sick?” Snufkin repeated in surprise. “Both of them?”

“Yes. They have been feeling very weak for a few days now, but yesterday they felt so bad they had to stay in bed.” She explained, putting a paw to her cheek as she thought about it. “You can get their tea up to them and stay if you want. I’ll get you three your breakfast soon.” She offered warmly.

Snufkin nodded, accepting the tray with the cups for him and his friends. He was about to go upstairs when the stranger entered the room. This one looked surprised to see Snufkin with the tray in his paws.

“Oh, hello there.” They said awkwardly, trying to smile. “I was about to come get the tea for the patients.”

“You don’t need to.” Snufkin said shortly. “I’ll give it to them.”

“Oh, but I’ve been-”

Snufkin didn’t even bother to listen to them, not wanting any of it. He just couldn’t stand that person, people like them were just so annoying, never understanding when one says no to them.

“H- Hey!” They cried after him. “Let me do it. It’s no bother really.”

“II don’t care if it’s a bother to you or not. They are my friends and I’m here to take care of them now, so you don’t need to worry about that.” Snufkin said sharply, continuing to walk away.

They seemed to be trying to go after him at first, until they were stopped by MoominMamma. Snufkin sighed in relief at that, thankful for Mamma’s intervention as he really didn’t want to deal with that one.

“Snufkin!” Moomin and Snorkmaiden cheered as he entered the room, carefully setting the tray on a table. 

“Good morning, you two.” Snufkin smiled softly at them. “Mamma told me you weren’t feeling well, how are you doing today?” 

“Weird.” Moomin admitted. “It’s like all my energy has been sucked out of me.”

“Yeah. Mamma didn’t seem to be sure of what it was too.” Snorkmaiden sighed. “At least you’re with us now.” She winked, chuckling as Snufkin’s face reddened, making him lower his hat to hide it.

“I’m glad it’s you and not that guy.” Moomin huffed. “He’s nice, but he’s always there no matter what we do.” 

“What do you mean?” Snufkin asked with a frown. 

“Well, they’re just always there.” Moomin shrugged. “Like, they’re always the one to ask to do everything to help Mamma, and they’re always the one to get us our medicine and our tea or food.” 

“And they’re acting weird too.” Snorkmaiden pointed out. “Did you notice how weird they acted when you’re around Snuf? And they’re always looking at you by the window when you’re outside.”

“I did notice that.” Snufkin hummed in agreement, sitting on the edge of Moomin’s bed. “If I’m being honest… I don’t really like them. They remind me too much of those people that wanted to court me before without listening when I said I wasn’t interested.”

“Oh, yeah. I remember those ones.” Moomin said with a frown. “They were so annoying with you and they wouldn’t leave you alone until JoxterPappa threatened them.”

“I wish he was here.” Snufkin sighed quietly. “Maybe he could have helped me figure out how to get them away from me.”

“Yeah…” Snorkmaiden sighed.

“Anyway, here. Mamma made us some tea. She said she’d bring us our pancakes later.” Snufkin said as he passed the cups to his friends.

“Thank you.” Moomin said, taking the cup and taking a sip of it. “Oh! It’s not bitter!” He exclaimed, looking surprised.

“What do you mean?” Snufkin asked, confused.

“Oh, that’s true!” Snorkmaiden agreed after taking a sip as well.

“Those last few days our tea always have this weird bitter taste.” Moomin explained.

“Bitter…” Snufkin wondered thoughtfully. 

“And it’s not because we’re sick!” Moomin said before Snufkin could ask. “It was already bitter before we started feeling weird.”

“When did it start?” Snufkin frown, concern in his voice. 

“I don’t know.” Moomin shook his head.

“I think it’s been about a week.” Snorkmaiden said.

“And you say it was them that gave you your tea every time?” Snufkin asked, frown deepening.

“Yes. They’re always the first one to offer to Mamma to bring it to us and Mamma can’t refuse their help.” Moomin huffed. “They’re really annoying.”

“Yeah. I wish they would leave already. We don’t even know why they stay anyway.” Snorkmaiden huffed as well.

At that moment, MoominMamma came in the room with the tray of pancakes. She set it on the table and took the tray with the empty cups. She was about to go out again when Snufkin asked to come with her to help her clean, pretending to not be hungry. She, of course, accepted happily, and he followed her out.

“Mamma…” Snufkin whispered as they closed the door. “Can I talk to you about something?”

“Of course, dear.” MoominMamma nodded encouragingly. “What is it? Is something wrong?”

Snufkin then explained quietly to her what Moomin and Snorkmaiden had told him and how he suspected their sickness to be caused by something put in their tea by the stranger. MoominMamma nodded along, agreeing that it was a weird coincidence.

Snufkin convinced her to make up a plan to get the stranger to act again and to catch him red-handed. They both agree to make him get them their next cup of tea to see if it would be messed with.

It didn’t take long for them to catch him. As soon as MoominMamma gave him the tray with the cups, as Snufkin had pretended to leave at the same time, they caught him putting a strange powder into the cups and mix them.

They immediately confronted him and took him to the Police Station. The Inspector was surprised to see the both of them enter with the stranger tightly held between them. They explained everything to him, and he didn’t even have to think about it before putting them into jail.

They then returned to the house where Snufkin spent the rest of the day, and even accepted to spend the night, to stay with his friends. 

Moomin and Snorkmaiden quickly recovered after that, proving again that it was all because of whatever poison the stranger was giving them. As soon as they could leave the house again, Snufkin offered them to teach them how to fish next to the bridge, which they eagerly accepted.

As he tried to focus on teaching them how to catch a fish, the both kept praising him and calling him their hero, for finding out about the poison and catching them in action. They really enjoyed seeing Snufkin blush and hide under his hat as he tried to explain to them how to hold the fishing rode.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed.
> 
> See, this time I changed it! It's not Snufkin being poisoned (altho it was sooooo tempting lol) he's just the one figuring out what's happening and saving his friends. Also, Mamma had her own doubts at first but couldn't tell because she thought the bitter taste might just be because they were sick.


End file.
